| T Nazaruddin, president, KVVES, told Business Standard that one of the largest retail marketing companies of the world had already purchased land at Vyttilla near Kochi for commencing operations in Kerala. |
| "We have decided to find out the land and stop them "physically" from starting operations there. We will trespass on the land and start our own shops there." |
| He said that KVVES would not allow any MNC to enter the retail market as it would sound death knell for 5 lakh plus traders in the state. A Gulf-based retail major has also bought around 14 acres of land at Edappally near Kochi and is planning to start a dozen retail shops across the country. |
| Nazaruddin said that the recent state-level conference of KVVES had decided to continue its agitation against the proposed move to allow FDI in retail market. |
| KVVES, which has a membership of around 5 lakh traders, strongly opposes any move to allow FDI as it would destroy the retail marketing network of the country. |
| Most of the traders shared their anguish over the move as it would force the traders to commit suicide like debt-ridden farmers of Wynad district. Traders warned that a similar fate would befall them if the doors of the retail sector were opened to FDI. |
| P U Jose, president, Apex Council of Trade and Commerce (ACTC) told Business Standard that FDI in retail trading would completely destroy distributor and wholesale dealer network as MNCs would directly purchase products from manufacturers or farmers. |
| There are 1.5 lakh registered dealers and traders and around 3.5 lakh small and medium traders in the state. He said that this network would completely vanish if MNCs entered the retail market. |
| He said that the introduction of VAT was a move to facilitate MNCs entry. A trader could not sustain his business if he lost 10 -20 percent of his business to MNCs. It would not benefit even customers either as the retail trade would be under the monopoly of a few big companies. |
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